Greens call for greater protection of Campbelltown’s koalas

Greens MP and Koala Protection spokesperson, Dawn Walker joined Campbelltown City Councillor, Ben Moroney and local wildlife rescuers on Appin Road to call for greater protection for Campbelltown's koalas that are facing growing threats from urban development in the area.

"Campbelltown is home to the healthiest koalas in Sydney with an estimated 300 disease-free koalas living in bushland between the Georges and Nepean Rivers, yet it's alarming that two or three koalas are being killed or rescued along Appin Road each week.

"The situation for local koalas is soon to become much worse with massive new housing estates approved for Mt Gilead that will see trees cleared, farmland concreted over and roads widened.

"Unless the State Government steps up and commits to funding koala protection measures along Appin Road, like overpass crossings and fencing, and also seriously considers creating a new National Park along the Georges River, more of Macarthur's precious koalas will be slaughtered.

I’ll be calling on the NSW Parliament and the State Environment Minister to intervene and help secure greater protection for Campbelltown's koalas" said Dawn Walker Greens MP.

Greens Councillor for Campbelltown City Council, Ben Moroney echoed the concerns about the situation facing local koalas.

"Our precious koalas here in Macarthur are clearly in trouble and need greater protection. In the past few months alone, over a dozen koalas have been killed along Appin Road and koalas recently have been found in suburban streets and on house roofs.

"Campbelltown City Council has requested that the State Government take immediate action and install koala protection measures along Appin Road in light of the Mt Gilead housing development and planned widening of Appin Road, but nothing has been done to date.

"It's unacceptable that the State Government expects Campbelltown to absorb a massive quota of Sydney's exploding population and not assist us in protecting our native wildlife, which is being put at greater risk by the demand for new housing" said Councillor Moroney.